COURTNEY GIBSON JOINS AUSTRALIANS IN FILM BOARD NEW INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIP ANNOUNCED

Australians in Film announced today that Jungle Managing Director Courtney Gibson has joined the AiF Board. Also announced, a range of newly created education and career development programs for industry members, and a brand new international industry membership category, allowing Australian screen creatives affordable shared office space in Los Angeles.

Village Roadshow Entertainment Group CEO, Greg Basser, producer Eden Gaha, Group Director of Marketing at Amalgamated Holdings Ltd Ian Sutherland and Vice President of Drama Development at Essential Media & Entertainment Simonne Overend have all been reappointed for another two-year term.

Gibson, former CEO of Screen NSW and executive at the Nine Network, Southern Star and ABC TV was instrumental in the establishment of Charlie’s, AiF’s creative shared workspace in Hollywood, which is funded by Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, AFTRS and Film Victoria. The new space, The Creative Collective, downstairs from Charlie’s is a members-only workspace and creative hub.

Kate Marks, President of Australians in Film said today; “Courtney was an extraordinary catalyst for change during her time at Screen NSW. She really champions creatives in the screen business and her experience in both the private and government sector of the industry means she will be a great addition to the Board. We are thrilled that she has joined and we look forward to her contribution to the growth of AiF.”

Gibson said “Australians in Film is such a can-do outfit, its influence, impact and imaginative approaches to industry development make it a stand-out organisation. I'm particularly pleased to be joining the board at a time when Australians are making such a compelling contribution to global screen culture and content.

The AiF international membership category will allow Australian based screen creatives and professionals to join the organization, giving them access to desk space at AiF’s headquarters on the historic Raleigh Studios lot, the oldest working studio in Hollywood where Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, A Star is Born, and the Oscar winning In the Heat of the Night were filmed.

International members will also get discounted rates to all of AiF’s career and education development programs, including the script development program Gateway LA, the Village Roadshow|Animal Logic Entertainment Internship and the Heath Ledger Scholarship.

The newly created education and career development programs will include increased access to the US and the international industries, with seminars and Q&A’s with leading American executives and creatives fromNetflix, Fox2000, Amazon, Village Roadshow, Warner Bros, Animal Logic, Hulu, CAA and UTA,in addition to Australians working in both the Australian and US industry, including conversations with Damon Herriman (The Nightgale, Secret City, Quarry) and Anna Torv (Secret City, Fringe).

This week, AiF has a screening of the Sundance hit Patti Cake$ with star Australian Danielle Macdonald. Previous screenings in 2017, included Big Little Lies (with Q&A’s featuring Bruna Papandrea,Nicole Kidman and Per Sari), War Machine (David Michod, moderated by Luke Davies) and The Get Down (Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin.)